William j



W. J. PQMOORE.

METHOD OF MAKING TENSION WHEELSy urucmon FILED mvlmsn.

Patented J uly 15, 1919.

ITTUHNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD OF MAKING TENSION-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed May 11, 1917. Serial No. 167,865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. P. Moonn, a citizen of the United States, and residentof New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making 'lension-ll 'hcels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a method of constructing a tension or suspension wheel, the same consisting of various mechanical steps leading up to the completed combination.

The object of the invention is to utilize the principle of expanding a metallic wheel structure and then allowing it to cool while in its hot expanded state so that a tension effect may be produced thereon. The invention consists essentially in the steps and series of steps constitutin the method, and in numerous details and peculiarities of the method and its resultant eflect, all substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating some wayso'l' tlarrying my improved method into practical operation:

Figure-1 is a cross-section of one form of wheel constructed in accordance with my present improved method, the same being, for cxampltn the front wheel of an automobile or truck; and

Fig. 52 is a similar cross-section of another form of wheel constructed after my present improved method, the same being, for example, the rear wheel of a truck or other vehiclc. v

In the formation of a tension wheel of the 40 kind which I have here in view, as distinguished from a wheel of the compression type, there is a rigid outer circular member which forms the fixed rim of a wheel. This member may partake ofa great variety of different forms and may be sha ed so as to carry a resilient tire, either SOllt or inflated, or made otherwise] In the example of outer circular member in Fig. 1, 1 denotes a U- shaped fixed rim which is encircled by a hand 4, which may be shrunk on like any ordinary steel felly band, or otherwise attached. In the form of wheel shown in Fig. 2, which is heavier and designed more particularly for a truck, I have shown a pair of U-shaped members 9 located alongside of each other and encircled by a single surrounding band 11, similar to the band 4, and shrunk upon the members 9 by first heatin and then cooling, or otherwise attache: Other forms of outer fixed rims or circular members may obviously be employedjn-lieu of those which I have shown, since they are given merely as specimen structures. It is essential, however, that the outer iixe(l rim or uuember should be a strong noncoinpressiblc member which will not yield toward its center when a powerful pulling or drawing action is applied thereto. Obviously the U- shaped members 1 or 9 may be used as shown in the drawing, or they may be of an inverted U-shape which then would dispense with the necessity of the bands -l and 11.

At the center of the wheel is an inner member 2, in the example of wheel. shown in Figs. 1, and 5, in the example of wheel shown in Fig. '2, usually a hub which may have. a brake drum, as 10, shown in Fig. 2, associated therewith, or may not have such a brake drum, the same being absent in the example shown in Fig. l, and there may be any one of a member of additional convenient central structures which are properly related to the axle. Between the outer member 1 and inner member 2 l have a pair of annular disks 3 extending from the inner member to the outer member and attached to both. while in the form of wheel shown in Fig. 2,] employ a larger number of these annular disks, three. for example, as 6, 7 and ti, which are attached to the hub and brake drum and also to the outer circular member, according to the following' method.

Several equally effective ways may be fob lowed in carrying the method into effect in assembling the various mechanical elements just referred to. One way is to unite the disks to the central hub or to the brake drum, as the case may be, preferably while the hub and disks are all in acold state, the union being made either by fusing, riveting, bolting, welding, or otherwise fastening them together, so that the first step of the method would be this welding or other fastening of the inner edges of the annular disks to the central hub. Next, the disks, or both the hub and the disks, or other central member and the disks, are heated to a degree sullicient to im art to the disks a certain amount of radia expansion, say onesixtcenth of an inch, or more or less than this amount. Next,-the,o1uer cdg oi the disks, while said disks are in their expanded on tion, are attached b welding or otherwise, to the rigid outer ircular member, either member 1 or members 9, which outer member or members are preferably maintained in a cold or unheated state. Ifdesired, they may be kept in this state by some cooling or refrigeratin process. Then, finally, the hot and rxpzmdid disks thus connected to the inner and outer members are permitted to cool, whereby a tension is put upon the disks, because inasmuch as the outer fixed rim or member is stiff and noncompressible, the disks will be held in their expanded state while and after cooling, and the result will be a wheel whose disks are under a strong tension. This tension will not take place until the disks begin to cool, for while they are still hot, there is no tension in them and they may still be considered as nontension members, but as soon as they begin to cool and tend to contract, the tension eflect takes place. Obviously by varyin the degree of heat applied to these disks for the purpose of expanding them, the amount of tension in cooling can be correspondingly varied,

- and hence, any desired degree of tension can be put on the disks according to the load carried.

A somewhat difl'erent course is followed in an alternative form of the invention in a case where I take the disks and the central or inner member and beat them all to a proper degree, say, a few hundr d degrees, so as to expand them all a, oertmn amount, say, for example, that the radial expansion of the, disks is about one-sixteenth of an inch. or more or less than this amount, being preferably only a sli ht amount. They can, of course, be heate to a red or glowing heat. lVhile so heated and while the outer annular member is left remaining in a cold or unheated. state and it is maintained so, (a cooling process in some cases be! employed if thought desirable), but no heat having been applied to the member, I apply the disks to said coldouter member, and then by suitable means I securely attach the outer portions of the disks near their periphery to said cold outer member, and I also attach the inner peripheral edges of the annular disks to th inner member, either the hub or the brake drumyor any other mner structural member that may be used, and having made these attachments secure, I allow all the parts to coolthe result of which is to cause the disks to be placed under a strong tension, because in thus eooling they are held in an expanded state, and the effect of the cooling, as in the other alternative form of the invention, is to make them rigid so that when a load is placed up the wheel, it will remain in,tcnsion or suspension, provided the degree of tension is properly precnlculatcd to correspond with the load, and it will never be converted into a wheel of the com ression type where the disks not being un er tension might buckle up under the weight of the load.

As regards the means for uniting the exanded disks to the unexpanded outer memer, it will be evident that said means may be any one of a large variety. The disks may be riveted or otherwise secured, but the method enerally adopted and which I preferably ollow, is that of Welding the said disks to the outer member, so that by this welding there will be an interfusin of the disks with the outer member, whi practically makes them all one unit, and as this welding secures the disks in place at a time when they are in a hot ex anded state and not yet under tension, it will be obvious that upon cooling they will be unable to contract so as to overcome their expanded condition,

so that the effect will be the production of a radial tension or sus ension which will make the disks stiff and p ace them in such a state that they will suspend or carry a predetermined load as largeas the wheel is adapted to support, the support being always in tension and never in compression.

In the form of wheel shown in Fig. 1, the

two disks 3 are welded or otherwise secured to the central hub 2 and also to the fixed rim 1. In the form of in Fig. 2, however, I use one outer disk 6, which is similar to the disks 3, 3, another outer annular disk 7, which is smaller than disk 6 because its inner periphery is secured to the inserted brake drum 10, and in this latter form I also use the intermediate disk 8, which is preferably somewhat thicker than the disks 6 and 7, and-which at its inner periphery is flanged and welded, or otherwise secured, around the hub 5, while its outer peripherahportiou lies between the duplicate rim members 9, 9 and is welded to both. This disk 8 at the center of the wheel, therefore, contributes to the strengtl of the same and enables a wheel to be pro-\l duced which is fitted for heavier work, but in this form, the same as in the form in Fig. 1., I utilize the tension efi'ect caused by the cooling of a hot expanded disk, and I em loy 'a 1 plurality of disks which are attachtrltoya central wheel member, and also to an uter wheel member. I

I have, therefore, herein clearly described two leading steps, one of which is the'step of the heating of the disks to cause them to expand, which expansion will be a radial expansion, or one around their outer periphery, so that the area of the disks will be somewhat larger than when they are cold; and the second process or ste consists in the fastening of these expande disks while they are in their hot expanded state to a cold and unyielding member, so that when the disks tend-to contract as the result of cooling, they will be placed under tension. 180

the invention indicated 95 consisting in attaching This attachment of the hot expanded disks to a cold noncompressible member is easily and effectively made by the welding process, but not necessarily so, because, as I have pointed out, various ways may be used instead of a welding process.

By forming wheels or wheel structures according .to the method herein recited, I am enabled to use lighter disks and insure their always being in a state of tension, the same being accomplished when a tension is set up in the disk members in excess of the pre determined load the wheel is to carry, and this may be specified as an object of such a construction. In this respect my construction is entirely difl'erent from a wheel as ordinarily constructed in which no tension is set up. for such a wheel, which is of the compression type, necessitates the use of much heavier plate-s because under working conditions they would be under buckling or compression strains rather than 'under tension strains.

Obviously various modifications and changes in the sequence of some of the ste s and in the various details may be made wit 1- out exceeding the scope of the invention, and I reserve the liberty of making these changes within the scope of the claims.

Having thus' described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latcnt. is:

l. A method of making a tension wheel.

annular disk to a central 'whccl member. heating said disks to expand them. then securing the expanded disks while hot to an outer circular rigid member so that when the disks cool they will be placed under tension.

3. A method of making a tension wheel, consisting in attaching annular disks to a central wheel member. heating said disks to expand them, then securing by a welding process the expanded disks \Vlillt! hot to an outer circular rigid member so that when the disks cool they will be placed under tension.

3. A method of forming a tension wheel, consisting in attaching the inner portions of a plurality of annular disks to a central member while said member and the disks are in an unheated ,condition', .t hen heating the disks for the purpose ofj'radially expanding the same, then securing the outer portions of said annular disks to a rigid circular outer member, and finally allowing the disks to cool so that they will remain expanded and be placed under tension in cooling so as to provide a stiff and unyielding combination.

4. A method of forming a tension wheel, consisting in attaching a plurailty of annular disks to a central member by welding the two together when they are both unheated, aftcrward heating the disks to a sutlicient degree to cause them to expand. and; then welding the disks in their hot expanded state to a rigid circular member, so that the disks in cooling may remain in their expanded state under a strong degree of tension.

5. A method of making a tension" wheel. consisting in attaching an annular disk to a central hub member and in attaching another annular disk to a central brake drum member. heatin said disks to expand them. then securing the expanded disks while hot to an outer circular rigid member so as to place the disks under tension upon cooling.

6. method of making a tension wheel consisting in attaching annular disks to a central wheel member. also attaching another annular disk to the same member.

11 ating said disks to expand them. then sc-- curing them while in their hot expanded state to an outer circular non-compressible member so that when the plurality of disks cool, they will be placed under tension.

7. A method of making a tension wheel, consisting in attaching a plurality of annu lar disks t a central member. one of said disks being intermediate of the others. heating said disks to expand them, then securing said disks while in their hot expanded state to a pair of outer non-compressible members which are unyielding, so that. the disks when they cool will be laced under a tension. and surrounding sai outer members with a band or rim.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

. WILLIAM J. P. MOORE. 

